1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a laboratory equipment and, more particularly, to a modular laboratory cabinet assembly enabling an end user to tailor the cabinet holding capacity and the cabinet orientation on a supporting surface.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Cabinets are commonly used in laboratories to accommodate various types of laboratory related equipment, as well as to accommodate products, materials, substances and the like during processing and testing. For many laboratory related applications it is desirable, or even necessary, to use such device having an airtight construction and/or means for minimizing the relative humidity level within the cabinet. Such laboratory cabinets are commercially available and well known in the prior art. Conventionally, the aforementioned storage devices adapted for laboratory use are offered pre-assembled in a limited number of fixed sizes and geometric configuration.
For a variety of reasons, the required or desired cabinet space can vary over time. For instance, it may be desirable to increase or decrease the size of a cabinet due to changes in the testing or processing requirements as well as overall laboratory space availability. Furthermore, it may be desirable to alter the size of a cabinet in light of changes in the volume of equipment, products, materials and substances requiring such storage. Furthermore, fixed size laboratory cabinets are quite bulky, as a result, their shipment and storage can be cumbersome and expensive. Consequently, it is well known that there are inherent inefficiencies associated with fixed size laboratory cabinets.
Modular storage devices and cabinets are known in the prior art. However, these known storage devices generally suffer from one or more drawbacks and limitations which render them undesirable for the aforementioned laboratory applications. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,810,459 discloses a stackable modular cabinet having modular, interlocking side units allowing cabinet dimensions to be tailored both vertically and laterally to user needs. However, the modular cabinet design disclosed in the '459 patent does not provide an airtight compartment. Furthermore, the design requirements of the particular application, i.e., holding heavy electrical equipment, result in a storage unit having a relatively complex structure incorporating numerous individual components and necessitating at least some prefabrication prior to shipment to an end user. Moreover, the disclosed cabinet has a metal construction that is undesirable for many laboratory applications including, for example, storage of certain chemicals. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,277,120; 5,305,187; 5,839,806 and 6,193,340 are exemplary of other types of known modular storage devices. However, these disclosed exemplary devices suffer from one or more of the aforementioned drawbacks and limitations, rendering them inconvenient/unacceptable for use for various laboratory applications.
Accordingly, there is a well-established need for a modular storage container assembly adapted for accommodating various requirements of different types of laboratories. In particular, it would be desirable to provide a modular storage container assembly having an airtight construction, capable of incorporating humidity control apparatus, and incorporating a simplified design lending itself to cost-effective manufacture and enabling an end user to customize the holding capacity. Furthermore, it would be desirable to provide such a modular construction having an inherently simple design enabling such custom configuration at a laboratory location in a relatively simple, quick and efficient manner without special skills or special tools.